Kevin Sumlin’s new contract worth $3.1 million annually

COLLEGE STATION – Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin will make a base annual salary of $3.1 million under terms of his new contract released on Thursday, following the Aggies’ surprising first swing through the Southeastern Conference.

He originally signed a $2 million annual deal a year ago, before guiding A&M to an 11-2 record and a Cotton Bowl throttling of Oklahoma in a season in which quarterback Johnny Manziel won the Heisman Trophy.

Sumlin also will have a draw of $3.4 million annually for his assistants, which he especially pushed for in raising it from $2.7 million last year. Sumlin’s new salary reportedly places him fifth among the 13 public SEC schools, behind Alabama’s Nick Saban, LSU’s Les Miles, South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier and Arkansas’s Bret Bielema.

Sumlin’s contract includes a buyout of $2 million, which decreases by $400,000 every year through 2017, the extent of the new deal. The Aggies open up spring drills on Saturday and the annual Maroon & White game is April 13. A&M opens its season on Aug. 31 against Rice at Kyle Field.